Reviews

To the Marriage of True Minds....and the Comedy of Wits

The tone of Perfect Match is a mix of comedy with heartwarming moments. Its use of exaggerated humor is typical of satire that aims to make a statement about social problems. From the first day of its release, the labels of "misogynistic" male leads and words such as "sociopath" as in one review were tagged on Perfect Match. The negative comments were to the extreme that either these viewers misunderstood the satirical tone of the drama or were too quick to judge without watching more than a few episodes. Be aware that there are negative reviews that were posted after only 4 episodes were released and deceptively marked as 36 episodes watched. Allow me to clear up some incorrect information in the reviews:

None of the ML cheated on their wives
None of the ML deliberately did anything to hurt his wife or any of the sisters.

Perfect Match tells the story of a widow, Madam Li, who desires perfect matches for her five daughters. The overall tone of the drama makes it interesting so even if one couple might not be as great for you, the drama will still hold your interest. Each couple has its time as the main couple in the drama. The drama has great pacing as it moves its focus from one daugther to the next.

The drama begins with the sisters and Madam Li moving into Bianjing. The second sister, Fuhui is already married at the start of the drama. Her match appears as an immature character, Fan Lianghan, who she describes as too soft-hearted to the point he gives away his money to women who cry to him about their woes. At first, he appears to be ridiculously immature, but his character gains some maturity in a manner he retains his role as comic relief while showing some maturity and wisdom...in rare times :) After the first few episodes, I came to find him adorable, to be honest. I like him!

The focus of the first 10 episodes is on the third sister Kang Ning and her perfect match Chai An. This match is my favorite! Both Chai An and Kang Ning are brilliant strategists and it was entertaining to see them outsmart each other. I was disappointed when I saw less of them after ep 10 when the other stories became the focus. However, I was happy to see them in each sister's story.

Others prefer the next couple. The eldest daughter, Shouhua, is matched with a top-ranking scholar, Du Yang Xi. I didn't enjoy the eldest sister's CP much because the chemistry was bland. However, some have stated it was their favorite, so it is a matter of preference. Du Yang Xi's backstory was interesting, and the introduction of Shen Huishao as magistrate in the court scenes made for a nice transition into the fourth sister's CP.

By the 20th episode, the drama switches its focus to the fourth sister, Haode, and her perfect match, Shen Huishao. Her character growth is interesting as she becomes educated in the laws to help her husband solve cases. But what makes it even more interesting, is the way Haode melts the barriers Shen Huishao set up against falling in love and taking a wife.


The drama's next focus is the youngest and 5th daughter, Leshan, around ep 28. Her "perfect match" is Yang Xian. I have mixed feelings about her story. With her personality, it was not surprising to see Leshan fight back against the bullies in the Yang family. I admire her spirit and courage but her aggressive behavior toward Yang Xian made me uncomfortable in the early part of their story. I knew it was temporary as this drama tends to exaggerate for humor. But it was too much and I didn't find it funny after a while. I found myself feeling bad for Yang Xian. I appreciated her intelligence in standing up to the Yang family for both herself and her husband. It was for this reason, Yang Xian fell in love with her more every day. But even more lovely, was watching Madam Li give Yang Xian the motherly love he lacked in his own home.

Perfect Match is entertaining. I enjoyed the lively family dynamics of Madam Li and her daughters. Their devotion and love for each other is heartwarming. Each of the sisters has unique strengths and characteristics. Madam Li as the mother is depicted as an ambitious mother exaggeratedly at times but at other times there is no doubt that her deepest desire is not for the wealth and status she wants for her daughters but rather for their happiness. The perfect match for her daughters would be a man who would cherish them.

But Perfect Match is not only about the marriages of Madam Li's five daughters. There is an underlying theme of gender and societal expectations. It portrays the treatment of women in the Song Dynasty. Madame Li as a widow lost property and status when her husband died. The court cases address some of the prejudices against women at the time. Each daughter's story depicts the challenges of defying predestined futures. The romance endures misunderstandings and conflicting circumstances. The use of humor and the battle of wits makes this drama a warm bundle of charm.

Perfect Match has a happy ending. However, the final episode would have been better if they had not added more problems to Leshan and Yang Xian's reunion that dragged into episode 36. I hoped they would have given us more of the couples' married life. I especially wanted to see more of Chai An and Kang Ning. I wanted much more than just flashbacks of each couple. But even with my disappointments, I will rewatch Perfect Match. It is still a 10 for me because I came to love the characters and found myself rewatching episodes while I waited for more to air. The plot was interesting and the family dynamic and tone of the drama is unique. The overall feel to Perfect Match will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. I will miss watching these characters daily.

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Last Twilight but Our First Twilight

"Last Twilight" emerges as an exceptional masterpiece, leaving an inerasible impact on us viewers. The year-long wait for this series was undoubtedly worth it, as it took time to craft its brilliance. My admiration for JimmySea, immersed by "Vice Versa," only deepened with "Last Twilight." Upon experiencing the series, I was left astounded. Jimmy and Sea surpassed my expectations for BL dramas, showcasing a well-developed chemistry not only on screen but also in real life. Sea's portrayal of a person with a visual disability demonstrated remarkable improvement, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative.

"Last Twilight" arrived at the perfect moment amidst a sea of hit-or-miss series. It concluded my 2023 on a high note and ushered in my 2024, infusing the transition with a renewed sense of optimism and possibility. What more is there to say? To truly understand the magic in "Last Twilight," one must embark on the journey themselves, engaging in its allure and experiencing its wonders firsthand.

Struggling under substantial debt, Mhok (Jimmy), a technical college student, seeks a well-paying job and lands a position as a caregiver for Day (Sea), a badminton player grappling with partial blindness caused by infectious keratitis. Mhok, in contrast to other candidates, shows no signs of pity for Day. As they spend more time together, a profound connection forms between them. However, when Day receives the news that he has approximately 180 days left until complete vision loss, the challenges ahead will test their bond's strength.

"And now here is my secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." - Day (A reference from the Little Prince)

Read more here from LauLastWonderland. This is an excellent review to clear up the misconception, especially with the last few episodes. (Spoilers ahead) https://kisskh.at/profile/LauLastWonderland/review/336399

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At first I was not expecting to enjoy this from the couples perspective, but more from the university/ hazing angle. I mean another BL (when I did realise it was BL). Nothing wrong with a good BL story, but it's getting kinda long in the tooth.

That being said, I did not read any spoilers before (hence not knowing it was BL). The upbeat music score (Soh Sut Soh Say performed by Keng Thachaya) was just so powerful it had to be attached to something, at lease, exciting. Boy was I in for a surprise!

The actual hazing was a bit far fetched for reality, but added to the premise and story quite well. The SOTUS acronym was really fully thought out. (Could someone Thai say if it is real?) Not starting as the typical love story was, again, another plus. Trying to cipher out where it was going was like being a detective. Would it be more about the hazing and the relationships formed because of a fear of the seniors? Would it force the juniors into relationships? The development of the characters was not predictable at all.

The magnificent performance of N' Krist (Sangpotirat Perawat) and the facial expressions of N' Sinto (Ruangroj Prachaya) really added to tension and emotion. Not in any way putting down the pool of amazing Thai actors, and having watched quite a few Thai Dramas, I don't think anyone else was more worthy to play those parts. These two played well of each other and even the rest of the cast, bringing a feeling of realness to the episodes.

The ending. Wow. It is just the perfect circles of circles. Karma, faith and such. Everything just falling together for a reason!

The only one critique I could find was the secondary characters could get a little more development. They do take a backseat to the main. By backseat I mean all the way in the back of an articulated bus! A little more time about them would have been just perfect! This, in no way, takes away from the realness or storytelling. It's just a very, very tiny gripe.

All in all a worthy story, impeccable acting and amazing music score. Well worth the watch! Has to be the best for it's year and possibly one of the best Thai Dramas of all times! Hormones set a bar, but SOTUS has raised it!

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CAUTION: WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Don't watch this show while you're eating, because you'll be laughing so much that chances of choking and dying are a lot.

Don't watch this show if you don't want to fall in love with a team of characters that are badass, adorable, witty and will forge a bond with you to the point you'll never want to let go.

Don't watch this show if you like strong badass female characters that kick ass, dominate the screen when they come and have amazing hair to match their amazing intelligence.

Don't watch this if you want to die due to the shortness of breath the titular character Kim Hae Il will cause you by being one of the most iconic characters in K-drama history.

Don't watch it if you can't stand the brilliance that is Kim Nam Gil's acting that gave birth to the baddie of the baddies: a fiery priest who is more like a grim reaper/ death angel 'cause when he comes to you, honey it's judgement day.

Don't watch it if you're someone who gets jealous of the extreme chemistry between all the the characters, don't like bromances, sismances and hilarious antagonists 'cause this show has an abundance of that.

Don't watch it, if you don't want to be addicted to the perfect OST of this show even when it's finished.

Don't watch it if you want to be proved wrong when you said that K-Dramas are just not well- written anymore.

Only watch it, if you are strong enough to take the wholesome awesomeness this megabrilliant masterpiece of a show offers and still remain standing by the end.

You have been warned.

Take care.

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standard university Thai BL

Overall: this is a classic Thai university BL, it's not going to win awards but I was entertained. 12 episodes about 40 minutes each (I watched on double speed) on YouTube, Viki and iQIYI (dependent upon country).

Content Warnings: non con picture taking, manipulation, non con touching (asleep), see the comments with a spoiler about potentially something else, stalking, kick, dub/non con kiss (asleep), vomiting, domestic abuse/slap

What I Liked
- that Ai actually had a conversation about his love at first sight
- happy to see two queer actors Arm and Porsch (who are a real life couple) are in a BL
- several cute moments
- funny moments (but some were likely unintentionally funny)
- Nhai's dad
- I dislike the circumstances of that scene in episode 2 but this was the best handled out of all that I've seen with clear check ins, aftercare, etc.
- they communicate with one another/poor communication doesn't drag on (also they avoided the ep 11 curse)

Room For Improvement
- I liked the initial set up and thought we'd see Ai struggling with Nhai's flaws but instead Nhai became reluctant and petty with Ai head over heels in love for unknown reasons
- multiple side couples were tossed in but not developed
- cartoonish villain
- that finale was...a choice, open plot threads, kind of jumped from scene to scene (still had cute moments though)
- how the dads acted in that flashback was terrible (also not a clear flashback)
- nonsense things (Nhai is in aerospace engineering?, how they packed all that stuff camping, etc)
- subtitles on iQIYI had quite a few errors but I didn't take off points for it although I think it hurt the audience's understanding of the plot
- in ep 2 I wish they didn't have Nhai directly crying afterwards because it seemed like he didn't want to, however I actually don't think that's the case. It was a combo of reasons including Nhai worrying 1. he forced Ai, 2. he ruined their friendship and 3. he got in between Ai and Ai's crush (because Nhai hadn't figured it out yet lol)

Title Information - a wonderful person explained in the comments what Long in the title means: "Fall/drown in love in thai means "ttok long rak" , "long" is the short form of this so yea the title means the story of how Ai fall/drown in love with Nhai"

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An Under Appreciated Drama with Good Ending

When I watched the trailer for this drama, it looked very good. I was disappointed when I started watching. As it was tagged "tragedy", I was expecting serious and somber performance. The "tragedy" tag was later removed.

The beginning of the story is comedic. Everything is silly, stupid and crazy, including the villains. The male lead looks villainous; the female lead cute with large watery eyes which tear up easily; the supposedly villain silly and funny. I was confused - is this supposed to be a comedy? I couldn't decide to continue or drop.

Ten episodes in, the mood changes. It becomes serious and intense. No more silly characters. Every character becomes mature and somber. Though there are still holes here and there, the plot thickens. I begin to empathize with the male and female leads. I even begin to love the supposedly villain who turns out to be an undercover. My heart begins to break with the pain General Wei Kuang is going through - his lost love, his love for the country and his predicament.

The building up of the story is important. Skipping episodes may make you confuse with why the characters make the choices as they do. Therefore, one may need to have more patience with the earlier episodes so that you can enjoy the later episodes better.

The final episodes are good compared to many other dramas. There are no unnecessary deaths. The evil doers end with what they deserve. The good people are rewarded with the fruits they sow. There are many lessons learned. There are also heart-wrenching moments, especially with the main characters, and one can feel the pain and sacrifices they make for the good of all.

This is a pretty good story. The main couple have been true to each other from the beginning till the end. Their love for each other never wanes, only stronger. They sacrifice for their country and for each other. They fight all the scheming and darkness hand-in-hand. They are open with each other, never holding anything back. There's never been any annoying misunderstanding between the two (many Chinese dramas love misunderstandings which I hate).

I love this story and the acting. My heart feels for General Wei, his pain when he returns from war and finds his love gone. But he never stops loving her, neither she loving him. It's a very touching story which you may enjoy.

I have truly enjoyed this drama. It may not be the drama of the year, but I feel it deserves our attention, and for us to give credit to the actors who have done a pretty good job.

Yes, this is one of those rare historical dramas that deserves to be watched and enjoyed.

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Outstanding comedy performance by the female lead!

I'll be honest, it took me a few passes to even want to give this drama a try...I'm not big on period pieces. I'm SO GLAD I eventually watched this. The female lead is outstanding at playing a man trying to behave like a woman. Her facial expressions and body language make for some really satisfying comedy. The other actors were fine, the male lead was fine, but the female lead is where this show really really shines. She carries the entire drama and I was super impressed by her performance.

The storyline itself is pretty good, the comedy is spot-on, but it's not like it's a new or innovative story, so the acting and set really made this show stand out as exceptional. The music selections were also very memorable and they did a great job fitting the music to the activities in the drama. As soon as you hear Bong Hwan's theme song (easy to identify cause it shouts his name several times at the start) you instantly know the Queen is about to get up to some badass mischief. The costumes were gorgeous, everything is bright and colorful and clean which really helped to avoid distractions from the comedy performances.

This drama is in my top10 K-Dramas list for sure! I'd watch it again 100%.

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I would like to begin with the fact that I really enjoyed this drama, it was one of those truly light-hearted romantic comedies. Being 33 episodes I reckon it was a suitable length without any draggy parts and I thoroughly enjoyed the cute moments that was offered. However I must say I didn't read the books beforehand so I don't know how it was in comparison to the originals. Despite that I still loved it.

The story was the typical rich handsome boss and normal/poor girl story, despite it being quite cliche it still had its own cheerful vibe to it which made it seem more unique and special. Being a romantic comedy of course there has to be a love triangle and thus there's the appearance of the 2nd female lead who you would hate but in the end grow to like. The nice thing about this drama is that you would love not only the mains but also the side characters of the drama as they bring alot of joy along with the mains. There isn't much business problems or family issues as I mentioned above as it's a drama focused on the relationship of the boss and the girl.

Acting/Cast I'll be honest a part of the reason why I started this is because of the main leads. I've seen alot of dramas acted by both leads and always ended up enjoying their works so seeing them together in this new drama was a nice surprise for me.
ZhaoLiYing is such an adorable actress and I've became a solid fan of her after the 'Legend of Luzhen'
ZhangHan is also one of my favourite actors, needless to say because of his good looks but also I've seen many of his works including the Queen of SOP.
I also thoroughly support the rest of the cast as they brought so much extra joy to this drama.

The soundtrack nice and enjoyable as I loved hearing the opening and endings, however I haven't been that intrigued to download any of it yet.

This was such a cute and enjoyable drama that I would definitely rewatch in the future. Being 33 episodes I might just skip through once in a while.

Overall this is one of the best modern romantic dramas of China, as I usually just watch chinese historical dramas however this one is defs an exception. It was well made with a great cast that complemented the whole story.
So I recommend this to someone who is looking for some happy sweet and light-hearted as a break from a sad heavy plotted drama.

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ALS (amytrophic lateral sclerosis) also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a truly terrible disorder. Sufferers experience progressive nerve degeneration, particularly those which affect motor skills and voluntary muscle movement. Early symptoms include weakness or cramping in muscles, excessive clumsiness, and slippery grip. But these annoyances often develop into full-fledged horrors, as ultimately one loses the ability to control or even initiate basic movement. Walking, chewing and swallowing, even breathing—all of these are gradually made impossible. Worse still, while ALS remains somewhat rare, it is usually fatal...and no cure yet exists.

Boku no Ita Jikan (“The Time I Was In,” internationally titled “The Hours of my Life,”) acquaints viewers with ALS, while painting an intimate portrait of a certain afflicted young man. This drama exults in the ordinary, from sets to characters and even plot points. Yet the propensity toward simplicity is exactly what produces any brilliance it might find. Main character Sawada Takuto could be any 20-something in Japan, but he could just as easily represent any young person anywhere. His goals appear unremarkable, his relationships familiar, his hobbies commonplace. But because they are also realistic, the generated reliability helps to connect viewers to the show. If nothing else, it will leave one questioning themselves. "How have I lived until now? Have I taken my time for granted?"

I would categorize this drama as inspirational, though also quite tragic. Many uplifting moments occur, yet these can be just as painful as the tearjerker scenes. For those wondering, a rather good love story does exist (and with surprising maturity, despite at least one "fish kiss"). There are a few cliches, unfortunately, including the most dreaded irritant: noble idiocy. Veterans of the genre might not enjoy Boku no Ita Jikan as much as others, either; there have been stronger, similar forays, though it brings a youthful flair to the table.

Miura Haruma starred in one of my first experiences with Japanese cinema about a thousand years ago, coincidentally another disease-oriented tale (Koizora). Though I've barely seen him after, I never forgot the effect that initial performance had on me. Meeting Miura-san again in Boku no Ita Jikan, I’m pleasantly surprised at his immense growth from then. His turn as Takuto is delightfully ordinary, yet powerful in its modesty. Most memorable will be his optimistic smile, though there were times I was floored in how deeply I felt Takuto’s fears. An actor with potential indeed.

I found leading lady Tabe Mikako only decent, though she performs well for the most part. Her Megumi takes the longest to “settle” and characterization seems somewhat fluid until around the mid-point. Chemistry with Miura Haruma is consistent, if more strongly felt in later episodes. Saito Takumi looks his best, though character Mukai Shigeyuki possesses a selfish streak. Due to subtle writing and this actor’s innate charm, Shige nevertheless remains painfully human. He might be a flawed jerk in many contexts, but he also has the potential to be genuinely friendly, observant, and likable in others. Nomura Shuhei is also notable, as he develops Rikuto into an surprisingly adorable and complete supporting character.

Pretty music accompanies Boku no Ita Jikan. Of particular note are vocals from Rihwa (“Harukaze/Spring Wind”) and Yuzu (“Yorokobi no Uta/A Song of Joy”). Sound effects are also utilized to a heart-rending degree, including the sound of a ticking clock bridging between scenes.

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As A Webtoon Reader

My review for the most part is going to be coming from someone who read the webtoon and LOVED it.

STORY: I know they finished this before the webtoon ended, I know they couldn't add everything because it would make the budget too high. That being said, some of the changes felt pointless. They missed the timing for some characters' deaths and then gave them pointless deaths that did not live up to their deaths in the webtoon. They added the female character and basically stripped Wook of everything that made him a good character. For Eun, they made her mean and it really ruined the sibling dynamic between her and Hyuk. For Hyuk, they rid of his "funniness." My main problem with the story is the damages they caused to the character's relationships with each other. Hyuk and Hyun's friendship was nonexistent, instead, Hyuk just used Hyun as a dog. Hyun and Jisu's relationship was switched out for Hyun and Eun. Eun and Wook did not have their friendship. Wook and Yuri's relationship was barely there. I am just disappointed with how they handled the webtoon relationships.
The monsters were watered down. In the webtoon, they were hard to kill are were always a threat. In the drama, they were easier to kill and kinda just disappeared in the last two episodes... I kinda wished the "Do I Look Good?" monster was here, they teased us with lines relating to him, but he never came :( The CGI was pretty good, the best has to be the "I Can't See" monster, he looked VERY real. Protein, the running monster, and the spider monster were goofy-looking sometimes XD
If I were to not have read the webtoon, it would not have been bad. BUT, I would have been confused on some parts because you need webtoon knowledge to understand somethings.

ACTING/CAST: they all did their parts perfectly. They all acted so well. Kudos to everyone because wow.

MUSIC: I am not gonna lie, some times the music just did not fit. I wish they would've had more intense songs instead of always using Imagine Dragon's "Warriors."

REWATCH VALUE: I could rewatch it, but I probably won't. I do not rewatch things often

OVERALL: As a webtoon reader, I am disappointed and would give it a 7.5/10. As a drama watcher, I am satisfied and would give it a 9/10. UPDATE: after rethinking it, I changed by overall to an 8/10

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A little formulaic, but cute

The acting and dialogue are good, and there's no useless uke. The wardrobe is spectacular, and it's an easy watch.

Maybe too easy a watch - I don't have any clear memories of the earlier episodes, so it's a bit forgetable. A few things that stand out is that despite the large power differential, the characters are equals, which is a refreshing change from the Thai formula.

There is an unfortunate plot trope in the second-to-last episode that it would have been very nice to avoid - it's a real stinker - and their relationship changes a bit fast, so I think it could have used two more episodes, and I'm starting to worry that BL writers are all alcoholics, but all-in-all it's a cute series, the leads are very attractive, and you can't really go wrong by watching.

But you're unlikely to remember it a few weeks later.

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Mnet Didn't Surprise

Mnet didn't surprise me again, honestly, it's seriously driving me crazy ah, they clearly show that they look at the choreography like any other idol. They chose the ones that appealed to them. Another wasted program. prime kingz should not have been eliminated from this competition, it was the biggest loss, words are not enough, it was a very unfair program, I pity the participating dance groups.

Some people's ignorant comments are annoying. Bank2brothers and prime kingz types are just too extreme. The Krumping type looks bigger, wild, and a bit exaggerated, while freestyle dancers like bank2brothers do the moves so professionally and fluidly that it seems like an easy genre. Dancing in such a flow is not for every brave man. Also the name of the program is street man fighter but it is the choreography that determines the elimination. Like a joke. Also, it's ridiculous to shoot a video and vote before the program is broadcast. and greedy I know. So there's no point in questioning the judges whose schedule is already full of bullshit.

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This drama was a weekly dose set to satisfy my hunger for sharp screenwriting, cliché-free storyline, intense events, dazzling characterization and top-notch acting.

Golden Empire is simply gold but that gold isn’t for everyone to watch and I can fully understand why the audience would avoid a business/romance-free drama. Has it been a time when you were watching an excellent drama but you find out that most people are ignoring it and the internet buzz is almost inexistent? That’s my case with Empire of Gold.

If you want to watch this, forget about the synopsis; it’s misleading and makes you expect things you shouldn’t. This is a story about power struggle for 20 years in order to rule the golden empire which is Sung Jin Group that’s owned by the Choi family. The three main warriors are: Choi Seo Yeon; the daughter of Choi Dung Sung who’s the owner of the group, her cousin Choi Min Jae; the son of Choi Dung Jin who’s the co-founder of the group and Jang Tae Joo who built himself from scratch and came to win the Empire of gold.

Out of all currently airing Korean dramas I was watching synchronously with Golden Empire; this one managed to to snatch the top spot and remain as my top obsession all the way through; this drama excels in screenwriting and witty dialogues, this is a drama where billions were flying on the dining table and a cup of tea can decide someone’s destiny: Yes, I had to mention that because once the table is set for a cup of tea, you should know that you will be blown away by the characters’ dialogue. What I like the most about their dialogues are the metaphors, the quotes and the historical events that they use to deliver their ideas whether directly or indirectly that’s why I always thought that this drama’s writers are geniuses; not only they wrote amusing discussions but they also provided us intense thrilling events and intriguing twists without any drop of slow moments that can reduce our intention: loud claps for the most brilliant writers in Kdrama's history.

The acting department was simultaneously stunning; Go Soo, Lee Yo Won and Son Hyun Joo are astonishing actors that I can’t imagine this drama without them. Jang Tae Joo, Choi Seo Yeon and Choi Min Jae are equally alluring, smart and impressive; just get ready to cheer for them, hate them, love them, distrust them, pity them, curse them but the most important thing is that you will feel them. They led this drama and made the excitement within its storyline through the alliances, the schemes and the conspiracies that were masterminded by those three or the rest of the cast who were equally convincing as actors and highly appreciated as characters.

In a line, I want to give credit for the music that suited this drama’s business theme in a magnificent way.

The rewatch value is low because such an intense drama will lose its twists and the factor of surprise if it's rewatched.

To make the long story short; this drama isn’t directed for everyone but one thing’s for sure, it’s unlike other same-plot dramas since there are no cheesy moments, weak characters or shallow acting. This is a high class screenwriting that’s very rare to find in Korean or Asian dramas in general.

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I just watched this movie in my local theater. I had no expectations. I only went so that I could see Lee Jin Wook's yumminess on a gigantic screen but I was pleasantly surprised. The movie is long, 2 hours and 7 minutes, but I didn't get bored with it. Han Hyo Joo was excellent in the role and you felt the pain she went through as she struggled with her unusual relationship. Although Jin Wook was only on screen for a few minutes, each Woo Jin before and after him played their part well. The changes felt seamless, though some you hated to see them go (Oh Ri On!!!).

Definitely catch it in theaters if you can., if only for all the handsome and pretty Woo Jins on the screen...

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It seems like a lot of viewers in the comments have decided to drop the drama. Since I have completed the whole thing, I thought I could provide a wholistic review. Disclaimer - I watched most of this at 1.5 speed and skipping ahead but I do that with everything.

It largely follows the life of the main couple, almost exactly the same as the wiki history on Empress Dugu. The biggest different from other historical dramas is that Dugu Jialuo's personality and values never change throughout the show. There's no turning ruthless or cold hearted. She is always as she started: well-meaning and smart. She never does anything out of hatred or revenge, and she puts the people and the country before all else - except her marriage with her husband. The side characters are all the ones who change, which sets a contrast to the leads. I think this is appropriate and showcases how history views them. They were known to be good rulers, both frugal, loyal and innovative.

To some viewers, this might mean the story isn't 'exciting' or 'dramatic' enough, but it sort of reflects life. There's quite a few time jumps with historical narration since life isn't always that exciting. I personally think that the drama achieved what they were going for which is to showcase the loyal love of this couple and their sacrifices to their country. Though they may have been a near perfect couple, others around them can't be as perfect in the face of power and greed. Some of these other characters truly frustrate you when you compare their life choices with those of the perfect couple. This was a well made comparison. I also think the main actresses' reactions to situations are pretty realistic. She can easily be hurt and feels remorse but still smart enough to calm down and think clearly.

Overall, watch if you like history, want some good life lessons and wish you had a husband/wife like that. Not really recommended for those seeking intense action and a fast pace.

Also what music? Not memorable during the episodes really... You really only notice it during the opening/ending.

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